


Catch

by otakuAegyo



Category: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Genre: Gen, I may add some more people in later, I need to see more Darth Dad, I'm gonna put him and Vader both through the wringer, M/M, Night Terrors, Nightmares, force meditation, i'll tag as the story progresses, i'm so sorry in advance, poor luke, this is mostly self-indulgent fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:15:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9853295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otakuAegyo/pseuds/otakuAegyo
Summary: Luke and Vader narrowly escape the explosion that claimed the second Death Star and flee to Dantooine to live in hiding. There, they must learn what it means to be a family and what it means to be close.This is a "how could it have ended differently" scenario which takes place at the end of Return of the Jedi.





	1. Space Stations, Like Sith Lords, Tend To Be Volatile

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to write this for a long time now, but only recently have I had the motivation and inspiration to do so. Honestly, the Luke/Vader tag is so dry lately, so that's part of where this comes in (I'm so thirsty for this)! This story has been in the works for months now because 1. I had to scrap a lot of what I'd first written and 2. You don't know how much research I put into this. My personal favorite bit of information is that if you ever don't want to fight Darth Vader, you can just turn him off. I'm 100% serious, here's my [proof](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Vader's_armor). It's the fifth paragraph under Discomfort, Limitations, and Enhancements. Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoy the fruits of my labor (and my suffering).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What would've happened had Vader used a different, less lethal method of killing the Emperor? As it turns out, a lot would be different.

Outside of the Death Star, ships of every kind were gathered, fighting a merciless war. Imperial forces clearly outnumbered the Rebels, yet they still fought through even the worst firepower. Explosions dotted the inky sky, most of them from X-wings and other Rebel crafts, much to the growing horror of Luke Skywalker, who observed with the Emperor and Darth Vader from the Death Star. 

"From here, you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance and the end of your insignificant Rebellion," Palpatine spat. Luke glanced at his lightsaber on the armrest of the Emperor's throne. His frustrations were rising steadily, according to the Emperor's plan. "You want this, don't you?" he chided. "The hate is swelling in you now. Take your Jedi weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment, you make yourself more my servant." 

"No!" Luke said. Vader could feel his seething temper and how hard he was trying to keep it under control. How foolish, he thought, to be brainwashed by that pitiful Jedi Order that he had all but destroyed. At least things were beginning to get interesting. 

The Emperor smirked and said, "It is unavoidable. It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now mine! As you can see, my young apprentice, your friends have failed. Now, witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station." He grabbed a commlink. "Fire at will, Commander!" he barked, sneering. 

The boy frantically looked out the window again, horrified by the huge beams of light that were fired at the largest Rebel cruisers. "Your fleet has lost. And your friends on the Endor moon will not survive. There is no escape, my young apprentice. The Alliance will die... as will your friends," Palpatine sneered. Luke's anger was about to break free, that much was evident. Both Vader and the Emperor could feel it. "Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon! Strike me down with all your hatred and your journey to the dark side will be complete!" the Emperor cried. He didn't have to tell Luke twice, that much was evident. 

Without hesitation, he swung at the Emperor, surprised to see Vader's red lightsaber parrying his own. Luke looked at his father with as much anger and surprise as he could muster. With his attention turned to Vader, Luke struck at him with as much force as he could muster. For his size, the boy was surprisingly strong, enough to push Vader back far enough to trip over the stairs. 

"Good, use your aggressive feelings, boy! Let the hate flow through you." 

Luke looked at the Emperor, then back at Vader. His expression softened some and his energy changed to something lighter. "Obi-Wan has taught you well," Vader said. 

Luke put his lightsaber away and shook his head a little. "I will not fight you, Father," he said. 

Vader walked slowly up the stairs to where his son was standing. If he wouldn't fight, he would have to _make_ him. "You are unwise to lower your defenses," he said, striking. Luke's green blade deflected his own before any damage could be done. The boy then jumped to the catwalk, saying, "Your thoughts betray you, father. I feel the good in you, the conflict." 

"There is no conflict," Vader affirmed, though he knew it to be true. But the truth wouldn't help him win this battle. 

"You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before and I don't believe you'll destroy me now," Luke responded. 

Vader didn't want to believe what his son was saying. He didn't want to, but if Luke was an enemy of the Emperor, then he was an enemy to him. "You underestimate the power of the dark side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny." He flung his lightsaber at the catwalk, destroying it. Luke tumbled down with it, but Vader could still feel his presence. This boy had to be the most tenacious thing he'd ever had to deal with. He sighed and went back down the stairs with his lightsaber at the ready. He creeped along as quietly as he could, trying to pinpoint his son's location. "You cannot hide forever, Luke," he said. 

"I will not fight you," said Luke, his voice echoing slightly. 

"Give yourself to the dark side, it is the only way to save your friends. Yes, your thoughts betray you," Vader said, feeling pretty good about turning those tables. "Your feelings for them are strong, especially for... sister!" He could feel Luke's anger beneath a mask of dread. Good, this might make him come out of hiding. "So, you have a twin sister. Your feelings have betrayed her, too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the dark side, maybe she will." 

"NEVER!" 

Vader barely had time to register the sound of a lightsaber activating before Luke attacked. The light that had been in him earlier was almost completely gone. The two dueled, though it was mostly Luke relentlessly striking. His strength had become dire, more than a match for Vader's own strength. Vader hadn’t realized how close to the edge of the railing they had come until it was too late: he was on the ground and Luke’s blade had sliced cleanly through his right hand and now rested too close to his throat. It didn’t hurt, but Vader still cried out in shock of the loss of his favorite hand. That murderous look in Luke’s eyes was enough to remind him of the pain he should be feeling. 

The Emperor had risen from his throne and stood smirking at the top of the stairs. "Good! Your hate has made you powerful!" the Emperor squealed much too gleefully. "Now, fulfill your father's destiny and take your father's place at my side!" Vader turned his attention back to Luke, prepared for whatever fate his child would bestow on him. 

Or, so he thought. Instead of striking the death blow and ending Vader's empty life, Luke put his weapon away and lowered his guard. "Never. I'll never turn to the dark side! You've failed, your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me," Luke said, motioning to Vader. The Emperor's expression changed to something Vader had never seen before: he was absolutely _livid_. 

"So be it... Jedi." The Emperor slowly descended the stairs, looking much like a feeble old man. Vader knew otherwise. "If you will not turn, you will be destroyed." Thick bolts of Force lightning flew from the old man's fingertips, striking Luke hard enough for him to be cast to the railing. He cried out in pain, the sound thunderous in Vader's ears. "Young fool. Only now at the end do you understand," said Palpatine. He stood feebly and walked to the Emperor's side, taking in the horrid sight before him. He didn't know what to think of this situation. Should he be proud that Luke stood up to the Emperor or sad that he'd spelled his own demise by doing so? Should he help? He was his son, but he was also an enemy of the Empire. 

"Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side. You have paid the price for your lack of vision," the monster said. Vader knew the man had no regard for human life (or alien life, for that matter), but this seemed downright cruel. Making the poor boy suffer like this... Vader couldn't bear the sight of his son in such agony; it reminded him of how completely powerless he felt on Mustafar after Obi-Wan had left him for dead. 

"Father, please, help me...!" Luke cried. 

"Now, young Skywalker, you will die." The lightning bolts became more intense than they had been, forcing Luke to writhe and scream harder. He had already been through enough, though a lot of that trouble had been Vader's fault. No more! He couldn't let that pain contort his son as it had done to him. He needed to do something, anything! 

"NO!" 

Vader's scream ripped through the stale air of the Emperor's chamber. In a rage, he flung his former master through the weakened railing and into the plasma engine with the power of the Force. While the action was slightly labored with the onset of shock, it had been enough to send the old Sith lord cascading over the rails in a flash of lightning. He watched as Palpatine's body disintegrated in the intense heat. Pain's memory began to settle in his right wrist as blue particles streamed past. He followed their intended path over to Luke's crumpled form. "Luke," he softly said, rushing to his son's side. He scooped the boy up in his arms. 

Luke gazed at his father, smiling through labored breaths. Such powerful light this boy had, even when weakened. "I knew there was good in you," the boy murmured. They both knew it to be true, but to what extent that good reached was anyone's guess. 

The Death Star rumbled and groaned beneath them. In the distance, they heard the cacophony of blaring alarms and exploding decks. Both could sense the losses attributed with it, but there was no time to consider that. This ship wouldn't last much longer, and from the looks flashing across Luke's face, he knew it too. Without a word between them, Vader helped his son to his feet. 

Vader knew this ship like the back of his hand, so navigating the labyrinthine hallways was a cinch. Luke was still a bit out of it from being attacked, so their pace was a little slower than Vader was comfortable with. It was slowed even more by the constant trembling beneath them and legions of stormtroopers trying to find their way off of the station. Nonetheless, they reached the hangar where the Emperor's shuttle was docked. Briefly, he thought of how odd it was that they were the only ones in the usually crowded bay, but it quickly got lost in the impending sense of doom. One large tremor nearly knocked them both off of their feet, but Vader hardly felt it. He had the power of not only the Force, but also the power of his fatherly instincts to tide him through this maelstrom. 

Without a thought, Vader picked Luke up and sprinted towards the ship. Explosions were getting much more frequent, and he couldn't risk his son's life being in any more jeopardy than it already was. They would get out of here alive, dammit! He climbed the steep ramp with all the ferocity of a thousand protective fathers in a time crunch, ignoring his burning lungs and shaking limbs. Thankfully, it was short and not too far away from the cushy throne the Emperor refused to travel without. Vader set his son down gently in it, caressing his cheek and saying, "Stay here, my son. We will survive." From there, Vader made his way as quickly as he could to the helm. 

It didn't take him long to figure out which button controlled what. The Death Star lurched beneath them with a loud groan. There wasn't much time left. He flipped levers and pressed buttons quickly. Another explosion rocked them. They hovered briefly and turned. The deck was being immersed in tongues of flame. The ship sped out of the hangar in a mass of fire and shrapnel, untouched by the chaos it had emerged from. A percussive wave rocked the ship hard, but Vader regained control quickly. 

Once the ship was far enough away from the debris, Vader sat back and put the ship on autopilot. Without a destination, the ship merely floated. That was okay. He needed time to process the events that had unfolded, and he was sure Luke needed the same. They had almost died back there. Had they been only two seconds later, the ship would've been engulfed in flames and probably would've crashed into Endor. Vader had lost his son once with the events of Mustafar. He couldn't handle the thought of losing Luke again. 

For some odd reason, Vader felt more calm now than he usually did. Perhaps that was the effect his son was having on him. His light was contagious. Now that Palpatine was gone, Vader was free to embrace it. Speaking of that... He left the cockpit and came to check on Luke. The boy was still dazed but standing now. "My son, how are you feeling?" Vader asked. 

"I am fine, Father." Luke glanced at his father's right wrist, ashamed of what he'd done. "I'm sorry for what I did to you." 

Vader chuckled. "All is well," he said. He wondered if Luke could feel his smile beneath the mask. "A hand can be replaced, my son, but you cannot." Vader embraced his son tenderly. He swore his heart melted when his son's strong arms reciprocated. 

"Neither can you. The Emperor could've killed you!" Luke said, not breaking contact. 

"All that matters is that you are alright," was Vader's reply. 

"But what about you, Father?" Luke asked. "Don't you care what happens to you?" 

"Not as much as I care about you, my son." 

"But I care about you, Father. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you," Luke said, tensing. He was so full of love that Vader didn't know what to do about him. He could feel moisture seeping through the layers of cloth on the top of his arm. In all honesty, he hadn't thought about what impact his own self loathing would have on Luke. It had been so long since he'd loved anything or anyone. It had been even longer since he'd been loved back. 

"Come now, my son, you must be strong. We are alive. We are together. All will be alright, my child," Vader said. He gently grabbed his son's shoulder and pushed him back enough to where Vader could clearly see his tear stained face. With his one hand, he wiped Luke's tears away with the softest of touches. Luke put his hand over Vader's, nuzzling the cool leather. He hated to see Luke cry such bitter tears, especially when they were being shed for someone as deplorable as himself. 

"I know, Father, I just... I worry about you," Luke softly said, glancing at his father's mask and sniffling. 

Vader wrapped his hand around to the back of the boy's head and held him to his chest, using his other arm to rub slow circles around Luke's back. He sang a low, warbling lullaby that Padme had once taught him. Luke slowly began to relax in his father's arms. His sniffling was slowing, and soon enough he was asleep. Padme had always sung this to the younglings on Naboo. Somehow, it always managed to put even the most rambunctious children to sleep in a short time. 

With his son peacefully dozing on his armored chest, Vader felt content. So, this was what it was like to be a father... No matter how much he wanted to stay like this until the end of time, he knew he had to fly them out of there. First, though, he'd have to put Luke somewhere comfy where he could soundly rest. Vader picked his son up as smoothly as he could and carried him to the private quarters of the shuttle, still humming the tune. Though the Emperor's quarters took up the back half of the cabin space, the room was still fairly small. At least it was opulently furnished with a large desk and, surprise surprise, a king size bed. Or was it emperor-sized? He'd have to figure that out later. 

Vader gently laid the boy down atop the bed and covered him up. Such a beautiful boy... Beautiful, strong, determined, loving, those words barely scratched the surface of everything that was Luke Skywalker. Vader had no doubt in his mind that his son had been through much more in his life than he should have. He'd had a rough start on Tatooine, no doubt stifled by that ignoramus that had let his own mother wander out by herself. But from now on, Luke would have everything his loving heart desired. Vader would make sure he had everything that life on Tatooine had denied him. 

Vader knew he had to get back to the helm; it wasn't safe to be drifting for so long, especially when one just so happens to be drifting through the rubble of a thoroughly destroyed space station. He smoothed back the stray strands of hair that laid across Luke's face tenderly. What he wouldn't give for this boy's happiness. With that thought in mind, he strode silently out of the room. 

It was a short walk back to the cockpit, but walking slowly gave him more time to think about where they could go. Luke could return to Endor and reunite with his friends, but Vader wasn't quite willing to make that sacrifice. After all, he'd just gotten his son back and he wasn't going to give him up so easily. Naboo might be good if it weren't so mainstream. Tatooine was far enough out of the way, but it was too... Tatooine. It may have been the place where he'd grown up, but he knew Luke had wanted to get away from that crusty old rock. He was Vader's son, after all. They certainly weren't going to Hoth. But where else? 

One place in particular came to mind that not even the Emperor had known about. Vader wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. He had a bit of land on Dantooine that he'd built an estate on. Well, to be more precise, he'd gotten other people to do it, then made them forget about the whole thing. It had been Vader's hidey hole where he went to meditate. After all, being second-in-command was a horribly stressful job. He could never decompress on any of those blasted ships with all the people around. All that noise and motion had driven him to the brink of madness, but he'd needed that to help him fuel his anger. The only problem with that was it got tiring really fast. So instead of committing more murder than he needed to, he simply escaped. And now, here they were escaping again even if for slightly different reasons. Vader began to set a course to the Dantooine system, hoping that this would be the best option for him and his son.  
Moments like these made Vader reconsider his turn back to the light. Though they had only been flying for less than a standard hour, they were absolutely dragging. This ship had to be the slowest and most uncomfortable vessel he'd ever had the misfortune to pilot. Hell, a TIE Fighter, no, a snail could go faster than this! His frustration was starting to become evident, threatening to come out in a less than positive way. Had it not been for Luke's stirring behind him, he may have acted upon it. "Father?" Came a sleepy voice. 

"Ah, Luke. I'm glad to see you awake again. How do you feel?" Vader said. 

Luke stretched and yawned before plopping into the copilot's seat. Would this boy ever cease to be adorable? "Better, but a little sore. Where are we going? Endor isn't that far away," he said. 

Oh, dear. 

"We are not going to Endor, my son. We can't. I have set a course for Dantooine. We will be flying for anoth-" 

"Dantooine? But Why?" 

Vader sighed, wondering how he could put it without sounding like a self-centered asshat. "Because," he started, "it would not be safe for us anywhere else." 

"What do you mean it wouldn't be safe? Everywhere but a bantha's mouth is safe to be! Can we please just go back to Endor, Father? Everyone is waiting for me there," Luke said. 

"We cannot return to Endor, not now," Vader replied. This whole dad thing was beginning to get difficult. He wished he'd picked up that book on parenting. 

"But Father-" 

"No, Luke. You know why we cannot. We will not be going to Endor. That," Vader turned to face Luke directly and got out the stern parent finger, "is final." 

Luke pursed his lips. Vader could feel his son's sadness seeping through to the surface. "Father, please!" Luke pleaded, his voice cracking a little. "I would only be there for a short time, then we can go wherever you want! Just please... please let me see them again." 

Vader hated hearing such sadness from Luke. Once was bad enough, but twice in a row? At least this time it was for a better cause even if it did little to ease his tensions. "Perhaps in the future, your paths will cross. But until that time comes, my son, my answer remains the same, though it pains me to refuse you," Vader softly said. He turned his attention back to the course ahead of them. Any more of this and he'd start crying enough to short out his systems. 

"Can I at least send a transmission?" Luke asked. Vader hadn't considered that. They'd have to wait until they got out of hyperspace to send it which would take at least another five standard hours, but it could be done. 

"If you can wait until we land, I'll allow it, but do not tell of our whereabouts. It will lead to trouble we don't need," Vader said. 

Luke's energy quickly turned happy again. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he sprang from his chair. "Thank you, Father, thank you," he exclaimed, hugging his father tightly from behind. Vader patted Luke's arms gently to give some acknowledgment. Luke sat back down and started manning the copilot controls. He'd gotten his affinity for flying from Vader, which Vader was very proud of. Maybe flying this slow vessel wouldn't be so cumbersome with Luke here with him.  
After a solid six hours and twenty seven minutes of flying, the ship came out of hyperspace. Dantooine was still a little far away, but it wouldn't take long to get there now, another five minutes at most. "That's Dantooine?" Luke asked, tilting his head a little. 

"Indeed it is," Vader said. He was just glad that they had finally reached the planet. 

From a distance, it looked like a cloudy green crystal with its misty atmosphere. Luke hadn't seen this much green since being on Endor. Maybe the surface of Dantooine would be full of dense trees, too. Beneath the haze, other colors Luke hadn't noticed before came into focus. Varying shades of tan and blue marbled the surface. 

"You are free to contact your friends now, if you wish," said Vader, flipping some switches. 

"Oh, right. I will," Luke said. He got up and walked to the private quarters again. 

Vader watched as the planet came closer, loving the soothing sound of Luke's voice from beyond the wall. He switched his screen overlay to pinpoint the exact location of his house. It was just over the horizon and to the left. He guided the ship in that direction, trying to make the entry into the atmosphere as smooth as possible.  
-  
"Oh, right. I will." Luke got up and walked to the private quarters again. Once he was behind the door, he rooted around the room until he found a transmitter. This particular room had a faint trace of the Dark Side, hardly noticeable but still enough to unnerve him. He didn't want to spend too much more time in here. He finally found what he was looking for behind a wall panel. "Thank goodness," he muttered. 

He fired it up and began his message. "Han, Leia, everyone. I'll, uh, keep this short since we'll be landing soon. I wish I could see you all again, but in my current circumstance, I don't think it would be a good idea to try. We're going to lay low in the Outer Rim for awhile until everything settles down. I cannot say much more about it, just that we're nearing our destination. Han, please take good care of my sister and the droids. Leia, keep Han from getting into danger. Your power is growing stronger every day, and I know that you'll soon surpass me. I hope I see you again in the future. May the Force be with you." 

He cut the transmission, fully embracing the finality of his decision. Well, partly his and partly his Father's, but Luke wouldn't have stayed if he thought his efforts would be fruitless. He punched coordinates into the machine and sent the message. At least there was one weight off of his chest. 

Luke returned to the helm, amazed at how much the view had changed. Two moons adorned the darkened sky, dimly illuminating the world below them in silvery light. The lightest tendrils of dawn were approaching around the horizon's boundaries. Luke could see the vague outline of huge, sparsely placed trees on the surface. Around them, tall grasses lazily waved with a passing breeze. Ahead of them, a few spots of artificial light dotted the plains. "Is that where we are landing?" 

"Indeed it is, my son," Vader replied. 

Luke was captivated by the sight ahead for a reason he couldn't quite place. Maybe it was a part of coming to a new planet that he knew nothing about. Though he'd been to many other planets, none of them had made him feel this way, at least not this strongly. It was entirely possible he'd overlooked it when he was less experienced. Luke also began to feel the vague influence of the dark side as they got closer, something that was making his blood run cold. Vader must have sensed his uneasiness at the quickly approaching structure. He said, "Fear not, child. When we land, we will cleanse it." 

Luke nodded, breathing as deeply as he could through his anxiety. He hoped he'd made the right decision in staying with his Father.  
-  
The one thing that Vader had forgotten about this place was how much of the dark side's influence he'd outfitted it with. Now that he'd turned back to the light, he could feel just how much negativity was there. Vader felt Luke's demeanor change more and more as they got closer to the estate. 

"Fear not, child. When we land, we will cleanse it," Vader said, hoping to ease Luke's tension at least a little. Luke nodded in response, no doubt trying to withstand the dark energy that was approaching. It was only a few more seconds before they were landing the oversized ship on the tarmac near the house. A gentle thud confirmed their touchdown. Vader shut off the engines and lowered the ramp, but Luke was hesitant to get off. 

"Come, my son, let your light shine with mine and we shall be rid of this darkness," said he, leading the way out of the ship. Luke slowly followed; Vader could feel his repressed fear and doubt. Once they were both outside, he began. He lifted his hand as high as he could and closed his eyes. Drawing from deep inside himself, he urged the Force to change the current of light and dark around the structure. The darkness around it started to yield with the strong tide of light energy, then stagnated without warning until Luke joined in. Together, they banished the remnants of a dark lord once passed and filled the house with the influence of the light. Now, it was truly a home. 

"That feels better," Luke said with a smile and a yawn. Vader couldn't agree more. Father and Son strode side by side to the sliding door. It slid open easily despite the technology being antiquated; he'd had everything in the estate meticulously restored so that it worked like new. Not to say he didn't have the money to do it, but it was definitely more clandestine than buying everything new. There's not much of a paper trail to erase when you use local resources. The few workers scuttling about had begun their daily tasks of attending to the estate's needs, mostly in the form of maintaining a functional base. Vader could smell the remnants of what must've been a lovely breakfast. It made him feel sick. Gentle beams of pink light filtered through the upper windows, signaling the start of a new day. 

When one servant noticed the two standing in the door, he gave a salute and said, "Welcome back, Lord Vader. We were not expecting you back so soon, otherwise we would have cleaned better." 

"I need you to disable all long distance commlinks and prepare a room for my son. He has had a long journey," Vader said matter-of-factly. 

"Yes, sir," the man said, turning to Luke. "Please follow me." 

Luke looked at his father with pleading eyes. "But I'm not tired. Do I have to?" he asked. 

"It would be good for you to rest awhile longer, my son," Vader said. "If at any point you need me, call out and I will hear you." 

Luke sighed and said, "Okay." He turned to the worker and the two were off before Vader knew it. 

"My boy..." Vader mumbled, watching his son disappear behind the corner. He didn't think he'd ever been happier or more terrified in his life. He'd never been a father before. How would he know what to do when the time came to do it? How was this whole parenting thing supposed to work? How would he ever tell him about her or his past? Could he ever tell him about those things that still haunted his? Vader couldn't even remember a time when his rest wasn't filled with guilt-ridden images of his dead wife and children, his own hands coated in their blood. He'd messed up so badly back then. He silently vowed to himself that he wouldn't mess up again.  
-  
"Okay," Luke huffed. Needless to say, he was a little nervous about being separated from the only fragment of familiarity he had. Even through years serving and his rank in the Rebel forces, he'd always felt isolated unless someone he knew was with him. This was incredibly awkward for him, but for the sake of everything he'd given up, he'd press on. 

"So, uh, you're Lord Vader's son, huh?" the worker said. 

"Yeah, I am," responded Luke. 

"You got a name?" 

"Um, Luke." 

"Nice to meet ya, Um Luke. They call me Jenson." 

"Nice to meet you." 

The conversation came to an end awkwardly, but Luke didn't really mind. Silence was okay. He wanted to drink in his surroundings, however bland they may be. At least Jenson halfway understood that; their pace had slowed drastically. However, the most interesting thing they passed was a little cleaning droid with a rubber knife taped to it, appropriately named S2-8Y. He chose not to ask. They made a left and a right into an elevator before Jenson picked it up again. 

"Man, who'd have thought that Lord Vader had a son? Last I heard he never even had a wife, but then again, they don't tell me much." 

"They?" 

"The other workers that stay here, at least the ones who've been here longer than me." 

"Oh. Can you tell me anything else about my father?" 

"Being his son and all, I thought you'd know more about him than I do, but let me see..." Jenson thought a moment, resting his lower lip on his finger and making a left turn out of the elevator and stopping. "He always likes to stay in his room whenever he's here. I don't think I've seen him come out once unless it was to leave. He doesn't even come out for dinner, and we got a class A cook. What kind of person just doesn't eat? Oh, and he hates it when we make noise when he's meditating, even if we're in the other side of the house. Says he can't stand it, he gets enough of that on the Executor. Always seemed weird to me, but I've learned not to question it. He just ignores it anyway." 

"That _is_ a little strange, but that isn't what I meant," Luke said. 

"Well," said Jenson, "that's all I know. Sorry, kid." He shrugged and motioned ahead to a door near the end of the hall. "The one in the corner is yours. If you need something, just call." Jenson handed Luke a commlink and headed through a door to the right. He turned his attention back to the room that was supposed to be his. He reached out with the Force to be sure no one was in there. When he was sure it was empty of all life, he walked over to it and went in. 

The room itself was rather large and sparsely furnished. In a way, it was a lot like the cabin in the shuttle. A large bed was to the right. Beside it were two bedside tables, one on either side, and an upholstered chair. In the left corner was a desk, and in front of him on the far wall were two metal doors. Everything here was gray and black except for the green bed sheets and rugs and some very high quality models of different starships hanging from the ceiling. Luke wouldn't have pictured his father as one who would take the time to add personality to anything, but anything was possible. After all, he'd only really known him for a grand total of a few hours. 

Luke walked toward the bed, the door whooshing shut behind him. Fatigue hit him hard now that he was this close to the soft-looking sheets. He set the commlink down on one of the nightstands and sat on the edge of the bed. The day had been long. Luke couldn't really remember when he'd last had a proper night's rest. He slipped his boots off lazily and laid back against the pillow. Before he could slip beneath the sheets, he'd drifted off.


	2. A Whole New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though they've made the house a home, Luke still doesn't feel at home here on Dantooine. Vader suggests that he go around and explore. That's when he sees a whole new world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back from the dead? And on Star Wars Day too! I hope all of you are having a great day. Thank you all for your support as I attempt to English long enough to make a legible story. It means the world to me that you're leaving feedback and kudos and subscribing to my nonsense!

"-ther..."

Darth Vader awoke quickly with a start. He had no idea when or how he'd drifted off, but here he was in his meditation chamber with his bare head propped up on a bent elbow. The most recent Imperial documents and news articles were still on the screens, booming about how the Empire had fallen. He could've sworn he heard Luke just a moment ago, but maybe it was just that dream again. Since he'd learned he had a son, his mind had tortured him with the notion that he'd intentionally brought harm to him. He’d lost count of how many times he’d awoken to his family's blood on his hands, the sounds of their screams still resonating in his damaged ears.

Shaking it off, he decided to reach out to Luke with the Force. _Still asleep..._ What a relief. It must've been that accursed dream again. Shaking it off, he pushed the button that lowered his helmet, mask, and cape back onto his body and waited for those damn needles to pierce his scarred head. He could never get used to that nagging pain despite having worn the suit for nearly twenty four years. Seconds later, he emerged from his meditation chamber with the most dramatic _whoosh_ of steam this side of the galaxy had never seen (after all, he would never permit anyone to see him in his most vulnerable state).

"Mmmph..."

The sound was nearly inaudible even to Vader's suit-heightened senses, but the feeling behind it was clear. Luke was in distress. Vader reached out again, striding towards Luke's room as quickly as he could. Anything or anyone that was trying to hurt him would pay with their life. He stopped about halfway there. The boy was alone and still sleeping, albeit fitfully. Could he be having a bad dream? He waited for a few moments for another sign, but none came. Luke had calmed down now, and for now, that was good enough for him. Now, there was work to be done.

Vader went to the upper floor of the structure, walking briskly to the security room at the end of the hall. He needed to be sure that all connections to Imperial networks had been cut off and any trace of his presence destroyed. Knowing Paxo, the technician Vader had hired to keep the manor's systems up and running, he'd probably only gotten through a few of them when there were hundreds to be sorted. He'd about had the right mind to kill him or at least fire him, but having workers that didn't question his authority were hard to come by, not to mention that there were few people who actually possessed the skill sets Vader required. No matter. He always ended up doing most of the work from his meditation chamber when he was here anyway.

Unsurprisingly, Paxo was sorting through the communications at a snail's pace when Vader entered. The man may as well have been born a snail, at least then the surrounding trees would be clear of skewered Fabools. "Good afternoon, Lord Vader," Paxo said, not taking his attention from the screen.

Vader dismissed the pleasantry and got right to work alongside Paxo and a few other droids. As expected, there was a pile of work cut out for him. He sighed. It was his first day back and yet there was so much to do. _Par for the course, I suppose_. Worn out, he started to disable the nonessential and imperial long distance communications. He sincerely hoped that this would go quickly.

It didn't.

 

  
-

Luke woke up in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding thunderously in his ears, but he couldn't remember what had gotten him so startled. He sat up in the bed, dabbing at his forehead as if to reassure himself that the moisture was indeed sweat. He felt as if he'd fallen through the ceiling. He looked around the dull room. This place was unfamiliar... He didn't recognize the bed or any of the furniture in here until his memories of the previous day suddenly came flooding back. How, in the course of one day, had he managed to confront the Emperor, fight Vader, and somehow survive long enough to escape to Dantooine?

Silently, he wished he could remember what he'd dreamt of or at least why it had made him so scared, but maybe it was better that he forgot. With a yawn, he got up out of bed and stretched before heading towards the bathroom. There were two doors here, but which one was the bathroom? He didn't have a lot of time left to decide. He tried the door on the left, groaning when it turned out to be a closet. Without a second thought, he ran to the next door and promptly took care of business before business took care of him.

Now relieved, Luke had a little time to take it easy before his day began. He walked over and inspected some of the models hanging from the ceiling; an older X-wing 68, a beautifully detailed Star Dreadnought, and seemingly out-of-place pod racer all hung together looking like they were ready to fly. Except the pod racer. They only hovered. Just how well did Vader actually know him? It seemed a little unfair to Luke, but he supposed there would be time to correct that later. Who knew how long they'd be here in this cold structure together? A growl from his stomach brought him back to reality.

"Hmm, time for breakfast," Luke said. He looked at the clock beside the door. Breakfast at 1:24, local time. Maybe there would be something left over in the kitchen that he could snack on. Well, if he could find the kitchen. With that thought in mind, he put his boots on, grabbed a commlink, and left his room. Now then, which way to go? A left would put him in a wall, so he turned right. There was another hallway about halfway down this one, maybe it was down there. Once again, Luke was presented with two doors, one at the end and another on the left. He ventured down the hallway and found the door on the left locked. The one in the middle was just a little closet-like room. He grumbled and turned back. Thank goodness these hallways were short.

Three more doors revealed nothing but disappointment in the form of a breaker room, a storage room, a med bay, and a very confused Twi’lek woman. Well, that was one floor down. But how many more were there? Knowing his father, there would be no less than 15 floors to this structure. Imagine his surprise when he only found 2 buttons in the elevator. The elevator itself was also much older than most Imperial tech. It seemed this whole place was full of surprises. Luke pressed the button for the upper floor and waited for the old machine to cooperate. Thankfully, it didn't take as long as he'd anticipated. It ran fairly smoothly, too. As soon as the doors opened, the scent of something delicious and exotic wafted in. An open doorway on the left led him right to the promised land.

The kitchen here was almost Tatooinian in design but with far more room to work than an actual Tatooinian kitchen. Impressive durasteel appliances and a long wooden table helped lend a feeling of grandeur. It had an actual sink with real running water (Luke tested it to be sure), and that was just the tip of the iceberg. This place had actual storage space and functionality. If Luke had been any kind of cook, he probably would've fainted. He'd never seen something so lavish, not even in Jabba's palace (though that wasn't much of a shocker).

Luke looked everywhere in the kitchen for something to eat. There were plenty of jars of food, most of which he didn't recognize. An already cooked dish of some kind of vegetables was sitting in the icebox, just begging to be devoured. Maybe he should ask someone before digging in... One more growl pushed that thought right out of his head. If one were to look close enough, one would see it fall right out of his ear and shatter on the floor. He rummaged through cabinets and drawers for something to eat it with, finally finding a fork. He rushed to the table and put a black hole to shame with how quickly he ate it.

With breakfast out of the way, Luke thought it would be a good idea to explore around a bit. But where to go? The building itself was a bit small for something that Vader commissioned and Luke knew he would get bored within a few minutes. Maybe there was something that he could help out with around the house. Anything to keep his mind occupied. It couldn't hurt to ask. Once he cleaned his dishes with some difficulty, he went out to look for Vader.

Luke could feel his father's presence nearby, undeniably busy with some work that just had to be done. It soon changed to slight amusement at his curiosity. _Do you have need of me, my son?_ Vader's voice echoed in Luke's ear.

_Where are you, Father? I want to see you._

_You know the answer to that question_.

Luke stifled the little bit of irritation at that quip and set off down the hallway. If his feelings were correct, Vader would be through the last door on the right. Luke strode down the hallway and looked at the door for some reassurance, but alas, doors do not have the capacity to validate human emotions. He opened the door to a relatively dark room. He could see a large holocom sitting to the side of the room, but no sign of Vader. "Father?" he softly said. He walked in and peered around the wall in front of the door. Sure enough, there stood Vader, tall, dark, and imposing as always.

Vader diverted his attention from a monitor and let the droid that oversaw its function take control again. "Yes, Luke?" he asked.

"Um, it's good to see you," Luke replied a bit shakily. He silently wished he'd rehearsed what he was going to ask a little more, though there was no real reason for his awkwardness.

"Likewise, my son," Vader said. "Do you have need of anything?"

"I was wondering, is there anything I could do to help?" Luke asked. He hated to do nothing while everyone else worked; it made him feel like he was a spoiled child mooching off of his family's opulence. Not to mention that he didn’t want his mind wandering too much today. He didn’t think he could bear thinking about everything he’d left behind.

A deep rumble came from Vader's vocoder, something Luke assumed to be a grunt. "If you are up to the task, you can help me strengthen the internal security system and disable standard long distance communications," was his response.

Luke nodded. "Alright, where do I start?" he asked enthusiastically. His eyes scanned over the complex keyboards and figures that were pulled up on the screens as Vader led him to a screen on the opposite side of the room.

"Here. I need you to disable any file that says 'imperial' on it," Vader said, turning back to his work.

Luke nodded and focused his attention to the screen. While he disliked sitting still and doing bureaucratic nonsense, he was determined to get this done. Maybe there were some files on here that would have a bit of information on Vader. This was going to take a while, so why not make a few detours along the way? They were all going to be deleted anyway.

The operating system on this computer was much newer than anything the Rebellion could've afforded. To make it worse, it didn't look remotely familiar to anything Luke was familiar with. This had to be the most complicated system he'd ever seen, even compared to the chaotic wiring inside the Millennium Falcon. Sheepishly, he attempted to open one of the files. The screen flashed a warning and didn't yield, instead going back to the screen before. He tried again with a different key and reached the same outcome. He kept trying one after the other until a dialogue box appeared on-screen with the words, "System Purge In: 1 Minute". Luke's eyes widened as his stomach fell through the floor. "Father?" he squeaked.

"Yes, s- oh, dear."

Vader rushed over to Luke and nudged him out of the way. He typed in the override codes as quickly as his mechanical fingers could go, but the clock kept ticking. "I am sorry, father, I didn't mean-" Vader put a hand up to silence him. This now demanded absolute concentration.

Thirty seconds.

The clicks of the keyboard thundered through the room, the harsh beeps of every second taking less and less time to sound.

Twenty seconds.

Luke had messed up big time. Oh, what he wouldn't give to go back in time and stop himself from doing this.

Ten seconds.

Luke squeezed his eyes shut, silently willing the system to stop counting.

Five seconds.

The beeps silenced.

Vader managed to input the right codes in the nick of time. Luke felt him relax a little, but it did little to ease his guilt. He was supposed to be the chosen one but he couldn't even manage something as simple as file management. What an embarrassing joke. "Perhaps another task would be... better suited to your abilities," Vader said.

Luke looked down, glancing up at his father's mask. "I guess," he said demurely. "But what is there to do?"

"You have never visited Dantooine before now, yes?" Vader asked.

"No."

"Why don't you go and explore?"

Luke had been wanting to do that, but he didn't think Vader would let him wander off so easily or so soon after arriving here, for that matter. "Alright, I will," he said. Perhaps this would sate his curiosity for today, at least.

"My only request is that you be back by sundown. Take a datapad. It will help you learn about the environment safely," Vader said. He sifted through a drawer before finding and handing a one to Luke. "Be careful, son."

Luke accepted the datapad, looking it over before smiling at his father. "I will be." With that, he left the room, stowing the datapad beneath his arm.

Once out of earshot, Luke let out a sigh. He had imagined things going much smoother than they did. Vader probably thought he was inept by that display. Here he was, fumbling over his own fingers and nearly causing an irreparable catastrophe in efforts to make a good impression for a father he hadn't known. Honestly, Luke had never been so embarrassed by anything in his young life. Not even the time that Han pantsed him in front of all the guys.

Luke went down the hallway he remembered coming through earlier, praying that it was still as simple as it had been yesterday. Thankfully, it was. The front door opened, letting golden sunlight pour in. He didn't waste any time standing in the door, opting to jump right into the temperate environment. A gentle breeze ruffled Luke's light hair and the short grasses surrounding the manor. The heat of the day almost made him regret wearing the heavy black outfit he'd come in with. If only he could find his old clothes...

It was then that Luke realized he missed being a regular person more than he had anticipated. Traveling through space was fun, and so was being a Jedi. Nothing could ever replace the freedom of a solo flight through open space in his X-wing or training in the ways of the Force, but he missed feeling the sun on his skin and a breeze through his locks. For once in a long time, he had time to savor. Oh, yeah, he could get used to this.

 

  
-

In all of his life, Darth Vader had never had anyone fail at a task that he had required them to do. Any that did usually ended up in the garbage disposal or the airlock before the end of the hour, regardless of whether they were living or not. That wouldn't be an option in this case. More to the point, it _couldn't_ be. Luke was his son whom he loved dearly, and he couldn't make the same mistake twice, not even if it meant having his patience tried to its bitter end.

It wasn't even that Luke had done something bad when this all went down. It was more along the lines of a failsafe he'd forgotten he'd put in place: if someone tried to get into any file without proper authorization, the system would commit hara-kiri and send an alarm to the _Executor_ , which was still floating out there among a fleet of other Imperial starships. That situation had been the most stressful thing he’d come up against since the Emperor had considered replacing him three years ago. He made a note to meditate later. Right now, he needed to get back to the infinite tedium that was file management.

"So, that's your son?" Paxo commented. "The mighty Jedi that caused so much trouble for the Empire?" He swiveled around, interested about something he probably shouldn't have been.

"Did I not make that clear?" Vader responded, not straying from his task.

Paxo shrugged. "Just trying to make conversation," he said.

"I did not hire you to make conversation, Paxo," said Vader.

"Right," Paxo said, rolling his eyes. He turned back to the screen and resumed his own work. Vader counted that a good thing. He didn't need workers who idled by while important things needed to be done. If droids could be trusted, he'd have enlisted more of them. Ha! What a day _that_ would be when a droid would be loyal only to his whims. Until that time came, though, he had to personally oversee much of what was being done.

Vader lamented the fact that Imperial technology, for all of its advancements, did not have a Select All button.

 

-

Luke found it rather funny that Vader had a farm around the house. It had to be one of the last things he would've expected his father to have, especially on this scale. Not to mention that he couldn't see his father being a farmer. Imagine that, the powerful Lord Darth Vader with a shovel and straw hat. Luke giggled at that thought.

Vast, seemingly endless rows of unfamiliar plants had just begun to poke their leaves through the soil, denoting the peak of spring. Luke saw a couple of people working out there but didn’t recognize them. One was humming just loud enough for him to hear. Admittedly, this was the first time Luke had experienced this season for what it was supposed to be: life returning after winter. On Tatooine, the only life the spring brought were more Hutts, and no one wanted to be a part of that if they had any sense left in them. Thank goodness Dantooine was out of Hutt territory.

"Hey, kid!"

Luke looked toward the source of the sound, hoping it was Han. A familiar face in this unfamiliar world would be a welcome sight. He was a little disappointed to see that it was just Jenson with two empty buckets in hand. "Hey, Jenson," he said with a half-hearted smile. That all-too-familiar ache was starting to rear its ugly head.

Jenson strode closer, using the time to scrutinize Luke's expression. "Something wrong? You look sadder than a whipped salkie," he asked, setting the pails down.

"You remind me of someone," Luke replied with a bitter smile.

"Is that it?" Jenson said.

"Yes. He is someone very important to me."

"It sounds like there's more to it than that. What's really bothering you, Luke?"

Luke sighed. _I can never see my loved ones again, except for father,_ he almost said. _I miss them more than I thought possible._ "It's nothing," was what came out. Luke looked away from Jenson's calculating eyes.

Jenson raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, trying to find a way into Luke's head.  "I recognize that expression. Are you homesick?" Luke didn't respond. "It's not that big a deal to just say so, you know."

After a moment of silence, Luke spoke, "Just… I’m not sure I made the right decision by staying here."

"How do you mean?" Jenson asked.

"I don't want to talk about it right now, but I would like to see what is around here," said Luke. He hoped that Jenson would forget about it, though by the quizzical look on his face, those odds didn't seem promising.

Almost as quick as the dread set in to Luke's belly, Jenson resumed his normal, happy expression. "Alright, I'll give you the tour just as soon as I go get something. Just wait here, I promise it'll be worth it," he said, running around to the side of the house.

Luke wondered what could be worth the excitement that man was clearly feeling.

 

  
-

The door of the security room burst open loudly. Vader turned his head to see one of the farmhands standing in the door. "Lord Vader, I have something to ask you," he said, looking worried.

"What could be so important that you would break protocol and storm in here?" Vader demanded, barely keeping a leash on his professionalism.

Jenson started, "Well, it's about your son-"

"Is he well?" Vader interrupted.

"Um, yes and no."

"Explain."

"Physically, he's alright, but he's pretty down. Probably homesick," Jenson explained. "Anyways, I was wondering if you knew anything about it. A kid that cute shouldn't be that sad."

"You are correct, he does not deserve to be melancholy. You need not know the details. If my son wishes to tell you what troubles him, then you will know," Vader said, turning back to his task.

"Wait, that's not all," Jenson said, flinching when Vader quickly faced him.

"What else? I advise you to be quick, boy." Vader’s irritation was nearly palpable.

"With your approval, I have a plan that might help him cheer up."

This seemed to grab Vader's attention back, much to Jenson's delight. "Explain," Vader said.

Jenson smiled and let out the breath he’d been holding. “Thank you, sir. What if we were to have a party in Luke’s honor? We could make some food that’s familiar to him and he could formally meet everyone here,” Jenson said, clearly feeling very proud of himself.

For a long time, Vader said nothing. The hiss of his respirator and the slow taps of a keyboard were of little comfort to Jenson’s racing mind. “Very well,” Vader finally responded. “How shall we prepare?”

 

 

-

It had been several minutes since Jenson had left Luke in the side yard wondering what he could possibly have that could cheer him up. If it was going to take much longer, maybe he should venture out and get right to exploring this strange new world. He just needed something to get his mind off the awful feeling it chose to torture him with.

After what seemed like eons, Jenson finally reappeared from the side of the house with a glass in hand. Jenson beckoned for Luke, waving him over with a bright smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to take so long! Come on, they can’t wait forever,” said Jenson. His brown eyes twinkled with anticipation. Luke almost asked _Who can’t wait?_ , but it was only a matter of turning the corner before he knew what the farmhand meant.

Standing just around the corner in the back yard was a herd of what almost looked like banthas, if banthas didn’t have fur or curled horns. Whatever they were, they were the quietest animals Luke had ever come in contact with. “What are those?” Luke asked, his eyes wide.

“Like ‘em? They’re our domesticated bol,” Jenson said. “They provide us with milk and meat if we need it. Come on, they won’t bite. Just stay in front of her.” He strode up to the nearest creature and stroked her gently, babbling something so softly Luke couldn’t make out what he was saying. “This is Bann. She’s one of our best milk cows.” She snorted hard enough to make Luke flinch, but Jenson stood undeterred. He kept babbling and stroking her while moving to her udder, lowering his hand to squeeze a teat. In no time at all, Jenson had procured a glass full of warm bol milk. He patted the cow and told her, “You did great, Bannie.” She snorted again, apparently content. Jenson handed the glass to Luke. “Here, try it.”

Luke accepted the glass, mulling over its contents before raising it to drink. The milk was warm against his lips and the flavor was rich with a slight sweetness to it. From the moment the liquid hit his tongue, he felt like it was warming him from the inside, as if it were made of tangible happiness. From the warmth came memories of Aunt Beru’s hugs, her quiet, caring nature, always supporting whatever crazy fantasies Luke had. She faded into thoughts of Uncle Owen, gruff but willing to take on any responsibility necessary for the sake of the farm or the family. His mind wandered to feisty, independent Leia and scruffy-looking Han and all the moments they’d shared in their journey. The song that had lulled him to sleep aboard the ship resounded in his ears. All too soon, the happy feeling was gone. That same ache settled back in his chest when he realized everything he loved had forcibly been taken away. Luke put the now empty glass down, feeling worse than ever.

“So, how was it?” asked Jenson with a smile.

“Emotional,” Luke replied. Had his voice cracked just then?

Jenson nodded. “That’s the power of fresh bol milk at work. It reminds you of what you love.” Luke half-smiled. Those were things he hadn’t thought of in a long time. He couldn’t afford to think about them when there was a galaxy who needed him more. They always left him in shambles. “Anyways… Let me introduce you to some other amazing people that work here!” Jenson said. Luke knew he was trying his hardest to turn things around for his sake.

“Alright,” Luke responded, hoping that maybe it would work.

“Okay, just follow me,” said Jenson. Luke followed him back to the front field. He remembered seeing some people tending to the plants earlier, so maybe they were still there. With the sheer amount of crops out there, he figured they probably would be. His suspicion turned out to be true; three were out watering the young sprouts. Jenson led Luke through the rows toward where the others were working. “Hey, guys, I’ve got someone I’d like you all to meet,” Jenson said. They turned their attention to him while glancing briefly at Luke. “This is Lord Vader’s son, Luke. Luke, this is Cinn,” he motioned to the one with dark black hair and blue skin, “Arlos,” he motioned to the hulking mass of a man, “and Vardan,” Jenson said, motioning to the green guy with a sweet mohawk.

“Um, nice to meet you,” Luke said with a little wave.

“Pleasure,” Cinn said.

“Nice to meetcha,” said Vardan.

Arlos grunted and said, “Hello,” before quickly getting back to work. Vardan followed suit.

“So, you’re Lord Vader’s son?” Cinn asked. “I knew he was up to something, but I never would have guessed he had anyone special to him. Anyone still living, that is.”

“Still living?” Luke said, leaning in.

Cinn froze. “I should not say, it is not my information to give. Perhaps you should ask him.”

Luke was a little disappointed, but his curiosity currently overwhelmed his sense of morality. Cinn knew something about Vader’s past and Luke wanted, no, _needed_ to find out what. “He would not tell me such things,” he said. “My father does not like to let others in.”

Cinn paused. “That… is for a good reason, youngling. Do not think I cannot see what you’re trying to do.”

Luke huffed. “You leave me no choice,” he said. His fingers waved to channel the Force. “You will tell me about my father’s past.”

Cinn gave a grumpy look and said, “Jedi mind tricks do not work on me. Good try, though.” He smiled and got back to work, making quick work of it in an effort to get as far away from Luke as he could. That’s what Luke thought, anyway. He was starting to understand why Cinn would want to; his emotions were beginning to get meddlesome. He really needed to meditate soon. With a quick goodbye, Luke was off into the wild.

 

  
-

When it came to his emotions, Darth Vader was a force to be reckoned with. All he needed was a whim and his feelings could lay waste to an army. But, when it came to someone else’s emotions, the Dark Lord of the Sith was no better at figuring it out than a rock was. Today, he was actually quite pleased with Jenson’s insight into his son’s situation. He’d been expecting homesickness to come, of course he had. Luke couldn’t be a Skywalker without that inborn storm of passion. However, Vader also thought that he’d have at least a little more time to prepare before needing to take action. Oh, but hadn’t he been the same way when he first left his mother? He grunted and shoved that memory aside.

As soon as Jenson had left the room, Vader had begun to prepare for this thing that Jenson suggested. He wouldn’t exactly call it a party. It was more of a home… reminding? Homecoming didn’t sound right either. Back downstairs, Vader strode through a metal blast door beside the elevator into the small med-bay. “Dr. Brion,” said Vader, “You and Dr. Kaal are needed.”

“Is someone hurt?” The young Twi’lek, Dr. Brion, stuck her head out of her office door.

“No. It is a separate matter,” Vader said. “I need you two to go and retrieve things on this list. Ask Dr. Kaal if he has anything similar growing in his garden. Be back before sunset.”

Dr. Brion looked absolutely horrified. “How in the galaxy do you expect me to get all of this by sundown?” she cried.

Vader shrugged off her concerns. “ _Before_ sundown,” he clarified. “You will find a way. That is one of the reasons why you are still here.” He turned on his heel, headed for the door, and paused. “I would advise you to be on your way, Doctor,” he said, vanishing through the door. Despite his turn back to the Light, he found himself giddy feeling her panic. Old habits die hard, he supposed. He’d just have to kill them harder.

But later.

Much later.

Now, it was time to get to the other matters that needed tending to. He was counting on Jenson to handle the rest. Briefly, he thought he felt Luke brushing his consciousness.

 

  
-

Far outside the boundary of the homestead, Luke found himself amazed by Dantooine’s unique landscape. It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before; green grasses melded with wild lavender grasses in an almost artistic way, and that was only the beginning. Huge mountains ranged in the distance, their icy caps glistening in the daylight. Large, almost comical trees dotted the landscape every few hundred meters. Their spiky branches were far off of the ground and laden with what looked like feathery fruit. Only a moment ago, he had seen a flock of majestic flying stingrays just overhead. What else could he do but marvel at their presence? They had led him near a group of large, long-necked creatures that were idly grazing about fifty meters away. He wasn’t sure how this could get any better.

Luke sat down under one of the trees facing the long-necked creatures. He scooted back to the trunk of the tree and let himself relax. He set the datapad down beside him and took the scenery in. Maybe living here wouldn’t be so bad after all. If all of Dantooine’s life was this calm, would it make this his reprieve? He’d needed a break for years, and now he had it.

Luke smiled and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He felt his energy settle, center, and meld with the Force. Through it, he sensed all that was around him. His tension dissipated into the thick atmosphere in sickly black tendrils. He could see the universe, the future, and the many sentient creatures that inhabited the galaxy. None commanded as much presence as the powerful Force signature that was only a few kilometers away. His father’s energy was immense, and more than once, Luke found himself drifting toward it. It was as if he was being pulled in by gravity that was strong enough to destroy worlds. Though it was heavy, it made Luke feel as if he were lighter than air.

A sharp pain in his thigh cast him out of his meditative state. He looked down at a tiny armored rodent that had climbed up on his leg, staring at him with big, beady eyes. Its claws had left tiny tears in his pants. “Oh, hello,” Luke said, feeling a little silly talking to it. The small creature squeaked in response, as if to say _Good day to you, sir._ Luke reached out to grab it and bring it closer. It pressed its tiny head into Luke’s hand and Luke petted it. “Aren’t you precious?” he cooed softly. Luke stopped when the little creature started sniffling at his hand, deeming this a blessed moment. Even when it started drooling blue goo, Luke adored the tiny creature. That was about the time he discovered that blue goo was acid. He set the small creature down, grabbed the datapad, and shook his hand hard enough to send it flying back to the house. It was a good thing that smoking blue goop only got on his mechanical hand. He probably wouldn’t have much use of his pinky until he got it fixed, but it was better than getting a fleshy hand completely dissolved.

A little downcast by this turn of events, Luke got to researching what that little critter was. He kept scrolling through different pictures until he found one that looked exactly like it. “Quenker, huh?” Luke mused, continuing his reading. “Small, armored rodents that hunt in packs. They often disable their prey with a potent acid before striking the deathblow. Be wary of these creatures, as they can pursue targets for days without being deterred or fatigued.” Luke gulped. He looked around for a sign that the quenker was still around, but the small animal had skittered off. That had been a close one. All this commotion was making him hungry.

Luke remembered seeing some kind of fruit on the spiky ends of the trees. He looked up at the one he was currently under and sure enough, there they were. Since there was no way to climb up and get them, Luke used the Force to float one down. It was exactly as he’d seen it before; the fruit was covered in feathers, and this little bit near this gaping hole could be a wing. It was rotund and almost as big as a grapefruit, but it didn’t feel as dense as most fruit did. He guessed that it just had to do with what grew here. He rotated it around and inspected it and upon finding a beak, he dropped it, horrified. “Birds…” he whispered. These trees were filled with _skewered birds_. He got the rest of the poor animals down from the tree and piled them near the trunk.

Luke got down on his hands and knees and started clawing at the ground with his hand. The dirt here was soft and Luke was determined to give them a proper burial. He dug and dug until he deemed the hole deep enough. One by one, Luke lowered the birds into the ground and covered them with dirt again. He couldn’t help but think what they had left behind; what if there were hatchlings waiting for them in a nest, crying out for food and comfort and safety? They hadn’t deserved this fate, but they had to face it either way. Just like Luke had to face his own fate. He could come to terms with never being able to see Han, Leia, Chewie, and the droids again. He just couldn’t face it today.

Everything hurt too much, and for the first time in a long time, Luke wept.

 

  
-

The sun was nearing the horizon when a small cargo vessel landed near Vader’s homestead. Upon landing, two humanoids, a Twi’lek and what looked like a sentient tree, descended the ship’s ramp with an armload of crates. Another humanoid, this one green-skinned, came out to help.

“Mmm, smells good,” the green one said, licking his lips. “Might have to sample a bit-”

The Twi’lek snatched her crate away from him. “Paws off, Vardan, this is for everyone,” she retorted.

“But Brion, I haven’t eaten in almost two hours!” cried Vardan. Not to mention that _someone_ had eaten the kibbla and yot bean dish he’d been saving for later.

“It’s _Dr._ Brion to you,” Brion said.

“Sorry, your Highness,” Vardan said. Brion _hmph-_ ed and pushed past him, leaving the other two outside. He turned to the tree-man and said, “Kaal? Please, I’m hungry.” He stuck his tongue out and put a hand over his stomach.

Kaal shook his head. “Apologies, Mr. Vardan, but we must save as much of what is in here for the evening meal. However, we could use your help carrying the rest of this inside. Would you mind to get the few remaining crates?” Kaal slowly said.

Vardan grumbled, but waddled up the ramp to get the remaining two crates. “Very good, Mr. Vardan. I am grateful to have your help with this task.”

Vardan giggled. He licked his lips with his long tongue and whispered, “Snack time.”

 

“ _What_ is the meaning of this?” Vader coldly snarled.

Vardan shot up to attention, causing every bit of food on his round belly to tumble to the floor. The Mimbanite tried to inch away from the livid Lord of the manor to no avail. “I-I-I only meant to eat a few, I swear!” Vardan stammered. He slipped on a bit of half-eaten nausage and clawed at the near-empty crates to escape Vader’s wrath.

“I am certain that Officer Jenson did not fail to explain the significance of these ingredients to you before they arrived. What excuse do you have for this insolence?” Vader stepped closer, imposing over the crumbled man on the floor. When Vardan didn’t answer, Vader took one more step towards him. “Then I have no choice,” Vader said, picking Vardan off the floor by the nape of his neck with the Force. Quickly and somewhat roughly, he carried the poor man out to the cargo ship. “You will get more of everything you consumed before sundown. Do not forget, you are the one who must prepare it.” With that, he slammed the loading ramp and stormed back inside.

Most of the workers had been listening to what was happening on the other side of the door when Vader came back in. Stifling the majority of his rising anger, he said, “Good. All of you, clean the kitchen. Sollaw, prepare the food.” They all gave a salute and scurried off to perform the tasks Vader had assigned.

Vader turned back to the door. He could feel Luke approaching. Time was running out more quickly than he’d anticipated.  

 

  
-

By the time Luke had finished letting his sorrows out, the sun was almost touching the distant ridge. Had it really been that long since he’d buried the little birds? He hadn’t thought so. Either way, he needed to get back to the house before sunset. Picking up the datapad and dusting himself off, Luke started back toward the farm. It seemed like the sun sped its descent the closer to home Luke got, almost as if it wanted to race him. There was no way he was going to lose to a giant burning orb, so he quickened his pace a little more.

Truth be told, Luke had no idea why he’d been so worked up over a few birds. He’d hung around the bantha herds that were destined for slaughter and even hunted womp rats back on Tatooine, but it had never felt like this. Since when had he become such an emotional wreck? Hells, he was supposed to be one who shunned his feelings in favor of wisdom, but here he was, crumbling to the whims of his own volatile feelings. How could he ever expect to live up to the immense Jedi legacy that had been placed on his shoulders? Luke covered his face in his hands and kept walking. He had to figure out some way to escape this depressive downward spiral and back onto the Light path.

As he neared home, Luke felt strong waves of concern radiating from the manor. Vader must have sensed Luke’s vulnerable state. It was still an odd sensation to have someone’s energy brush up against his, especially when that energy was probably the strongest in the galaxy. Kinda tingled, actually, which was a weird combination with the whole hyperawareness factor. At least it made it easier to distinguish what was his and what wasn’t. Still, it was a bit too invasive for Luke’s liking, though he knew Vader only wanted what was best for him. Luke would have to talk to him about that later.  

Off in the distance, some unknown creature howled. Others joined it in a melancholic harmony that sent shivers through Luke’s bones. The sun was already below the horizon and the last inklings of daylight diffused through the grasses. A small moon had risen and Luke could see another one peeking over the ridge. There wasn’t a lot of time left before his father was expecting him home, so he figured that he should probably hurry. Well, if those howls weren’t motivation enough.

 

  
-

The manor was in the most frantic state Darth Vader had ever seen it in. This even beat the time when quenkers had infested the house and nearly melted everything with acid. Three workers were crowded around the stove trying to figure out what they were working with while all the others (save Vardan) were clamoring around to get everything clean. Vader just had to put his mask in his hands and shake his head. Sometimes, he wondered why he even bothered with hiring lackeys to work here. All the while, Luke got closer and closer.

 

  
-

Luke suspected the howls were getting closer to him. He hadn’t expected whatever was making those howls to try and pounce on him from behind. Thankfully, his Force-sensitivity was heightened by the imminent danger and he managed to barely dodge the attack. Now, he was in a full-on sprint towards the manor in a very hopeful attempt to outrun these giant canines.

 _Use the Force, Luke…_ Obi-Wan’s voice resounded in Luke’s ears. Was there anything the Force could do for him now? He couldn’t focus on anything but home.

 _Use the Force, Luke_ … Luke tried to remember if there was anything his masters had taught him that could possibly help him in this situation. He could feel the creatures’ hot breath on his heels. Jumping up into the trees would most likely end up in further injury. He needed to run faster.

_Faster._

As if the Force had heard him, Luke was enveloped in an uncomfortable pressure that sent him flying kilometers ahead of the beasts. The landing was a bit rough (poor kid ended up laying in the dirt at the edge of the farm), but at least those creatures had stopped chasing him. Luke half-smiled and picked himself up, laughing at their defeated howls. Somewhere along the way, he’d lost the datapad, but it was a small price to pay compared to what could’ve happened. His right hand was now mostly dead weight from the acid and the fall.

With his good hand, he dusted himself off and walked through the rows of plants, careful not to step on any of them. He could feel the panic coming from inside the house and stopped in front of the door. Before he could really do anything else, the door slid open. Vader was waiting right inside for him, which surprised Luke a bit. “Welcome home, Luke,” Vader said.

“Oh, um, thank you, father. Is everything well? I thought I felt fear in here,” Luke responded.

Vader put a hand on Luke’s shoulder and sent reassurance through their bond. “Yes, we were simply waiting for your return, my son. Come, you must be hungry.”

Luke followed Vader down the short hallway and into the kitchen. The lights were off and a pleasant aroma filled his nostrils. “What i-”

The lights flipped on to reveal all of the staff standing around a veritable hodgepodge buffet. “Welcome home!” they all shouted. Almost instantly, Luke was surrounded in welcoming arms and laughter. Music native to Tatooine played softly in the background over the sound of everyone’s excitement.

“How do you like your surprise?” Jenson asked, hugging Luke.

Luke laughed briefly and said, “What is this?”

“Officer Jenson presented a plan to help you acclimate to life here,” Vader said. “They took the time to make a few dishes you might find… nostalgic.” He motioned to the table that was spread with a few traditional Tatooinian foods and Dantooinian-Tatooinian fusion dishes that Luke didn’t recognize.

“Are those dustcrepes? And cream of womprat soup? And ruby bliel?” Luke asked, his excitement growing. “You did this just for me?”

Jenson stepped forward. “We wanted to make sure that you felt at home here,” Jenson said. “Plus, who couldn’t use a little party to boost their mood? Go ahead, dig in!”

When everyone had what they wanted, they all told stories about their encounters with the fauna of Dantooine when they first got here. Apparently, Luke’s encounters had been the most normal out of them all; Kaal had to regrow an arm after an attempt to gather kinrath eggs, Jenson had been carried away by a graul and escaped using nothing but a rock, a hat, and a paperclip, and Brion, Cinn, and Sollaw had been treed by voritor lizards. This jollity went on for hours until everyone got tired of dancing on the table and watching how many bol steaks Kaal could eat in one bite. They all agreed that Vardan would do the dishes whenever he bothered to get back.

Luke headed back to his room after what had been a surprisingly fun party. He’d never pegged himself for one who would enjoy that atmosphere, but he guessed it was a little different than what most others would call a party. It had done wonders for his mood. It didn’t hurt so much to think about his friends now. Imagine what Han would say if he heard the mighty Lord Darth Vader had thrown a party. He was almost to his room when he thought he heard something. Luke stopped when he realized they were footsteps behind him. The hiss of a respirator put his mind at ease as he turned around to face Vader.

“Thank you, father. For the party, I mean,” Luke said, looking quite flustered.

Vader bridged the gap between them and Luke could feel his smile under the mask. “I was happy to provide. You are my son, I would move the stars for you,” Vader said lowly. Luke felt his relief that this plan had worked after all, but even more so, he felt the pride his father had for him. Luke stepped forward and wrapped his arms loosely around his father. Vader reciprocated Luke’s sentiments, pulling Luke close but not close enough to accidently deactivate his life support suit.

“I really needed this, thank you,” Luke whispered.

 

  
-

_3:23 AM, Local Time_

The cargo ship shakily touched down on Dantooine, displacing the abundant grasses beneath its jets. The ramp quickly descended, but not quickly enough for the little Mimbanite rushing to get crates off the ship. More than once, he threatened to take a faceplant into the dirt in his hurry to get everything in order.

“Still on time, still on time,” he muttered, waddling under the weight of four full crates. He walked forward, hoping the door was still in the same place when he had use of his eyes.

Long story short, he ran into a wall. Multiple times. Frustrated and tired, he left the crates in front of the door and went to sleep in the barn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was worth the wait, my lovelies. Would anyone be interested in hearing the worker's backstories? If so, let me know. I'm not telepathic, but I'm working on it. For those of you who were wanting more interaction between Luke and Vader, that'll be coming next chapter, so be prepared! Tune in next time on _Catch!_  
>  P.S.: I love you all, you're wonderful.


	3. The Way To Your Son's Heart Is Through His Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke has no idea what he's doing or how to fix the damage done to his mechanical hand. Darth Dad comes in to help. What happens is less than hand-y.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry my update schedule is so long, but I assure you, I'm doing all I can to make it worth the wait. (College is a bitch, but what's new.) Here's [that blueprint](http://pre14.deviantart.net/3261/th/pre/f/2017/135/1/5/darth_vader_s_manor_by_kittyneko903-db9bu8u.jpg) I promised back in chapter 1. So, without further ado, enjoy this new chapter! Hopefully the next one can be out sooner. Thank you all for sticking with me!

“Long story short, I hadta sleep with the herd,” Vardan huffed, crossing his arms. Straw still clung to his skin and hair, and his frustration was nearly palpable. No one in the room doubted that the Mimbanite was a bit out-of-sorts this morning about sleeping in the barn. 

 

“You had it coming, Vardan. I mean, you ate just about everything that we had to rush to pick up. I’d say sleeping with your kind was fair,” Brion commented. “Oh, and don’t forget you have dishes to do.”

 

“Yeah, whatever you sniveling little-”

 

“Enough, you two,” Kaal slowly said. “Must you fight in front of his lordship's son?” He motioned to Luke, who was quietly eating and barely listening to their conversation from the other end of the table while staring at his hand. He probably didn’t even hear anything that the three were saying until the room’s attention was brought to him. Brion and Vardan both got up, left the room, and continued their bickering as soon as the door had closed behind them.

 

Kaal turned to Luke. “You must excuse them, milord, they are very stubborn individuals,” he said. 

Luke dismissed Kaal’s apology with a wave of his hand. “It's fine. It is not much different from what I am used to. And call me Luke,” Luke responded, reaching to take another bite of a dustcrepe.

 

Kaal stood and said, “Very well, Luke. Please excuse me, I must see to them. We cannot have another incident like last time.” Bowing slightly, he put Vardan’s and Brion’s dishes next to the sink and went to tend to the quarreling idiots. That left Luke alone in the dining room, munching on leftover dustcrepes and yot beans and wondering what happened last time. That curiosity didn’t last long against the higher caliber of his hunger.

 

Luke brought his fork up to his mouth. Instead of delicious food, Luke was met with disappointment and the sound of his fork clattering against the table. Luke looked down; his right hand was all floppy and useless from that acid yesterday. He thought he’d dealt with that last night. In a (not so) shocking twist of fate, he hadn’t.

 

From the looks of things, the acid had melted through most of the pins and wires that made the inner structure functional. This was not good. He’d never heavily maintenanced his mechanical hand before. Of course, there had been a few things that he had fixed in the past, but none of those repairs had been like this. He had no idea how to do this. He had no idea if anyone around here knew how to do this. One thing was for sure: he had to figure this out and _fast_. Luke jolted up from his chair and began his search for something, anything that could help him repair his deadened appendage.

 

The upstairs turned up very little of what Luke needed. The most he found was what he later found out to be a paperclip, a thin, long piece of wiring that looked like a string, and some electrical tape. He'd still need at least four more pieces of wiring and something like synthskin. Actual pins would be ideal, but paperclips would have to suffice for the time being. Luke couldn't think of anything that remotely resembled synthskin, so he figured it would be better (or at least less frustrating) to repair his hand without it. He only hoped that the damage wasn't too extensive to fix. Luke went back into the kitchen and grabbed a butter knife, guessing it to be the closest thing to a screwdriver he could find. With his makeshift repair kit complete, Luke headed down to his room to begin this meticulous process that was prosthesis maintenance. 

 

Once seated behind his desk, Luke arranged his materials and sighed. No matter how he looked at it, he came to the same conclusion: there was no way this humdrum excuse for parts would work, at least for any extended period of time. It lacked most of the essentials necessary for splicing the melted wire ends together and only had shoddy excuses for pins. In a last-ditch effort to find something else useful, Luke looked through the desk drawers. That turned up a pair of scissors, a ruler, and some other archaic means of communicating through written word and/or picture that he thought were "pens" and "paper". This was a hopeless endeavor, but Luke needed to try. The Jedi way was _not_ about giving up. Or maybe it was. For all Luke knew, the Jedi way could've been wholeheartedly dancing the hokey pokey around a droid while donning a chicken hat in offering to some cat-based deity once a year. Since no one had ever bothered to clarify, Luke decided to take it as a fact that he wouldn't partake in.  

 

Luke set the now-empty roll of electrical tape down on the desk. He finally finished the repairs after about two hours of agonizing tedium. Somewhat satisfied, he looked over what he'd accomplished; it looked more like a preschool art project than a fully functioning robotic hand. Most of the synthskin from the back of his hand was now gone, but at least it worked. Mostly. Enough to get a few things done before it fell apart. 

 

Unfortunately, that came much quicker than he'd originally anticipated. 

 

Before he could register what was going on, Luke suddenly found himself battling his own hand. Translation: Luke squealed and thrust his hand as far away from his body as possible. Boy was it a bad idea to keep a screwdriver tangled in there. Now, the more-than-useless appendage was flailing wildly with intent to maim (or at least scratch). 

 

 

About ten minutes passed of Luke moping face-down on the desk when he heard his door whoosh open. "Luke," Darth Vader said. "I sensed that you were in distress." Without looking up, Luke raised the malfunctioning hand and let it fall back beside the desk with a light thud. Luke could feel his father's morbid curiosity at what was going on. "Shall I ask, or will you tell me?" Vader asked. 

 

 

Luke sat up, keeping his gaze downward. "I tried to fix my hand. Acid melted through it yesterday," he said.  

 

"And you are only taking care of it now?" Vader asked.

 

"...Yes." 

 

"Let me see," said Vader, reaching out for Luke's arm. 

 

Luke moved his arm away. "No no no, wait, your suit-" Vader cleanly and effortlessly snatched the screwdriver from the thrashing fingers and set it down on the desk. Quickly, Vader went to work with the scissors, snapping a wire in two. The hand died instantly with a pathetic whir. 

 

 

"What about my suit?" Vader asked, pulling something out of his belt. _A repair_ _kit_ , Luke thought. 

 

"Nothing," Luke said, flushing a little. Had he really thought a flailing screwdriver would even scratch his father's armor? He felt like a kid again, staring at the world with uncertainty. How could he possibly think that his father's body was so fragile? It had been through wars and lived to tell the tale on multiple occasions. Who knew what else Vader got into in between those times. 

 

Luke glanced at his hand from time to time to keep track of the work his father was doing. It was almost like he'd done this a million times before. "How do you know so much about this? Don't you have technicians that do this for you?" Luke blurted out. 

 

 

Vader stopped his work briefly, long enough for Luke to wonder if he'd accidentally struck a nerve. He was about to apologize when Vader said, "It wasn't always like this, son." 

 

"What do you mean?" asked Luke.

 

Vader took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I wasn't much older than you are now. The clone wars had just started. My old Jedi master and I had been pursuing the one who started it into a catacombs on Geonosis. We thought we had him cornered. We fought. I do not remember much after that. When I woke up, I was without an arm." Vader paused. "The way prosthetics worked then was much different than it is now. They were... not natural. They moved poorly and without coordination. I learned how to modify it until it became more human than the arm I lost."

 

 

Luke sat there in awe of what Vader had said. He knew his father had been through his fair share of hardships. Part of Luke wanted to feel bad for Vader/Anakin for what had happened, the same part that knew he probably shouldn't ask anything else related to his father's past. "What was it like being a Jedi back then?" Luke asked anyway. 

 

Too bad that part was only whispering. 

 

\---

"What was it like being a Jedi back then?"

 

Out of all the challenges Darth Vader thought he'd take on as a father, this was certainly not highly ranked on his list. In fact, he hadn't counted on Luke asking about his past for at least another few years. They could probably bond over it better in time, but what could be better bonding material than telling stories prematurely? He only wished that Luke wasn't so curious about the... lackluster parts of his existence. 

 

"What is it like being a Jedi now?" Vader said. He was interested in learning about what that was like. You know, seeing how he only knew secondhand knowledge from two men too far past their prime to be of much use. 

 

"Terrifying," said Luke, "but that doesn't answer my question."

 

"I suppose it was equally as scary back then, though there were many Jedi masters to help. They were not very fond of me but they did what they could."

 

"Why?"

 

"The Jedi High Council deemed me too old to begin the training at first. I started training with another Jedi master when I was 9. To think that this happened because of some trouble their ship had... " Vader chuckled. "Master Qui-Gon was the only Master with two Padawans. Both Obi-Wan and I were under his wing then. You could say we were an odd bunch." 

 

Vader and Luke spoke for hours reminiscing on bygone days. It felt so weird to talk about his life in any capacity to someone other than Padme (and a secret diary he kept in an undisclosed location). It felt even more weird to listen wholeheartedly to someone else's. Vader had been surprised that Luke found joy in killing womp rats that were bigger than he was. Luke had been surprised to learn that Vader had started out as a slave. Years of anguish seemed to melt away in a matter of hours. Vader could feel the weight of his past lifting. Perhaps there was some merit in sharing stories prematurely.

 

Until the one string was struck. 

 

"What was my mother like?"

 

On the outside, Vader appeared cool as a cucumber. Inside, a raging storm of "oh god why is this happening" had taken over. Almost as quickly as it had come, Vader regained his composure long enough to think of relevant information. "She was a Nabooian queen." That earned a quiet gasp from Luke. "She was smart, fierce, someone that everyone looked up to. You and your sister remind me of her, always fighting for what you deem right. I can see her spirit reflected in your eyes," Vader softly said. 

 

Luke sat there, staring wistfully at his father, then shifting his gaze to the wall. Apparently, he'd never heard anything about his real mother. Those Tatooinian louts had kept all evidence of Luke's parentage away from him, but then Vader remembered that they likely wouldn't have known. "Are we that much like her?" Luke said absentmindedly. 

 

"You are," Vader replied, patting Luke's head with uncharacteristic gentleness. "Even now I feel her love flowing through you." 

 

"Um. Can I ask something else?" Luke said, looking down. 

 

"You _may_ ," Vader corrected. 

 

"How... How did she die?" 

 

Well, there was a memory Vader thought he'd outlived. Years of compounded guilt came crashing over him so intensely that he thought he might've shattered. Though Vader had shared much of his life's story today, this was one piece that he couldn't share right now. Not yet. Maybe not ever. He wasn't sure if he could ever work up the nerve to speak his greatest regret to the only one who felt that he was worthy of redemption.

 

"Father?" 

 

Vader brought his attention back to Luke. "Perhaps you should see Dr. Brion. She can replace the synthskin on your hand," Vader said. 

 

"But Father-"

 

"Now." 

 

Luke visibly shivered. "...Of course." He got up and quickly left the room. 

 

Vader knew Luke was curious. He'd gotten himself into this uncomfortable trap when he agreed to speak of her. He thought his love for her had all but disappeared in all his lonely years. He thought he had moved on.

 

He was wrong.

\---

Luke hadn't expected the room to actually turn cold. He thought that was a figure of speech meant to convey tension. However, figures of speech normally don't apply when speaking with the most powerful man in the galaxy. That feeling reminded him of the first time he'd ever stood before Vader. False pride, obligation, and unintelligible fear had captured him then, and that same sticky darkness that covered him like a blanket was here now. Luke was afraid. No, afraid was putting it lightly. He was terrified that all the progress he made bonding with Vader was lost to a careless question. He was afraid that his father might break. Did her death really weigh that heavily on him? 

 

"Something is troubling you."

 

"Maybe," he replied. "I might have messed up." Luke looked at the young Twi'lek, then back down at his hand before she could meet his gaze. 

 

"From the look of your hand, I'd say you messed up, too," Brion said, swiveling in her chair to get something out of a draw across from them. 

 

Luke shook his head. "No, not that. I mean with... Never mind. I will figure something out." 

 

Brion looked at him with a puzzled expression, but didn't press the issue further. Luke was thankful for it.

 

\---

 

As soon as Luke had arrived in Brion's office, Vader retired to his meditation chamber. It took all his willpower to not destroy everything in his path before he got there. He had to remind himself that there was no reason to transmute his grief into anger anymore. No one was ordering him to do heinous acts on behalf of the government. There was nothing more to prove that anger could solve. 

 

Vader held his head in his hands, willing his body to stop shaking and the sharp stinging in his eyes to cease. It had been so long ago, yet these awful feelings surfaced as if it had happened yesterday. He kept replaying that memory over and over in his mind. Her, running after him. Her, backing away from him. Her, lying on the ground. Her, dying while he watched. 

 

But the more he thought about it, the less things made sense. If she had been dead then, wouldn't Luke and Leia have been dead, too? Vader looked it up in a controlled panic. The air fueled to his lungs became less effective upon seeing the result. _Unborn_ _babies will be dead within 15 minutes of the mother's death, as they require oxygen directly from the mother to_ _live._

 

Vader was taken aback. There was no way that his children would be alive if he had killed her. Obi Wan wouldn't have made it back to her in time to do anything, and even if he had, he wouldn't have known what to do. Obi Wan was many things, but a medic was not one of them. He was also confident that no one else had stowed away on the ship. He would've sensed them. It became much harder to breathe. Small beads of sweat bubbled up on his covered skin.

 

If Luke and Leia had survived, was Padme... Could she still be alive? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuuuuuuuun! It occurred to me while writing this that Darth Vader has an unreliable account of what actually happened to Padme. No one but Obi-Wan, Bail Organa, and Yoda knew, and they're all dead. The plot thickens... >:3c


End file.
